Atlanta at the Bat

The outlook was very scary for the Atlanta Braves that day;

The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play.

And then when Nixon died at first, and Treadway did the same,

A sickly silence fell upon the Braves fans at the game.

Then Gant, he looped a single, into right field it did fall;

And Lonnie, although slumpin’, tore the cover off the ball;

And when the dust had lifted, Lasorda saw what occurred,

There was Lonnie Smith at second, and Gant a-hugging third.

Then from 40,000 throats and more there rose a lusty scream;

For if they did walk Justice, they’d have to pitch to Bream;

They tomahawked with both hands, what do you think of that,

As Justice, David Justice, was advancing to the bat!

Thousands of eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;

Over 40-thousand tongues hollered that Strawberry was a jerk.

Then while the Dodger pitcher ground the ball into his hip,

Defiance gleamed in David’s eye, a sneer curled David’s lip.

And now, the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,

And Justice stood just watching the breaking slider there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped---

"That ain’t my style," said Justice. "Strike one,"

The umpire said.

>From the seats filled with people went up a muffled roar,

Like the beating of the storm waves on a stern and distant shore;

"Kill him, kill the umpire!" shouted Ted Turner from the stands;

And it’s likely they’d have killed him had not Justice Raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity, for David’s "class" was known;

He stilled the rising fury; he bid the game go on;

He signaled to the Dodger, and once more the horsehide flew;

But Justice still ignored it, and the umpire cried, "Strike two!"

The sneer is gone from David’s lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;

He pounds with cruel violence the bat upon the plate.

And now the Dodger holds the ball, and now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered by the force of David’s blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;

But there is no joy in LA, David Justice knocked it out!!!!!